When Life Gives You Lemons....

This project started out as a new salad bowl for Mimi but a nasty catch, with the gouge, instantly transformed the design into a fruit bowl. This was also my first attempt at microwave drying. Although the process works, I think I was too impatient and didn’t continue the drying process long enough as some checking appeared during the final turning phase.

The bowl measures about 11” in diameter and 3” deep. Made from a Sugar Maple tree we had taken down last fall. Finished with several applications of MinWax semi-gloss poly and buffed with furniture wax.

Great recovery ,but that block looked like trouble with all these cracks in it..especially that one going up to the rim. Did the cracks happen before or after you microwaved it?

I have had that happen before even after I filled the cracks with epoxy. You are flexible enough to make it to completion although it is a little shorter. I think we all have had that happen at one time or another, but that tests your creativity!!

Nice job and thanks for posting!!.................Jim

-- Jim Jakosh.....Practical Wood Products...........Learn something new every day!! Variety is the Spice of Life!!

Nice save. It looks great. On the microwave drying I have found out you can’t rush it and I only use the defrost setting and for two minutes. Take it out of the microwave until it cools down and just keep repeating this process, weighting each time I take it out until I see no more weight change. This works for me but I have tried to keep it in the microwave longer than 2 minutes and higher temp and I always have problems when I do that. Just expressing my opinion. Tom

Any time you turn a chunk of wood with the center of the tree in the middle like that you are looking for problems. There is just too much shrinkage stress as the wood dries around the center point. I’m surprised the work didn’t go out of round on you….it may still do that as the wood stabilizes.Next time try filling those cracks with thick super glue and repeat the application as you find more during the turning. Same with the microwave drying process….fill any cracks with super glue early and you can often prevent them from getting worse. Be careful using super glue on warm wood. It can vaporize and you could inhale it. Vaporizing super glue is a hi tech method used by forensic technicians to find finger prints on objects. Not good for your nose or lungs. By the time you smell it there could be some injury to tissue.

Did you put the piece in a brown paper bag during the microwave drying process? That acts like a steam kiln and helps control the balance of moisture from the surface to the inside. Even after drying by microwave it is a good idea to let it rest for 24 to 48 yours.Regardless, you made a nice save.